from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
Wednesday, 31 July 2024
Tuesday, 30 July 2024
Olympic basketball takeaways: Canada shows it is an international force
Games like this are what you go to the Olympics for.
Sure, the Canadian men’s national basketball team opened its tournament against Greece on Saturday, surviving Giannis Antetokounmpo’s physical barrage, pocketing the win. It wasn’t a perfect effort and Greece – outside the danger posed by Antetokounmpo – isn’t a measuring-stick type of opponent.
Greece is a good team that a better team has to beat if it has dreams of a medal, and Canada did just that.
But on Tuesday afternoon in Lille, France, there was a tougher foe – Australia. It is a program perhaps not as storied as Spain over the decades, maybe lacking the hoops-mad identity of Serbia or the top-to-bottom quality of the Argentina teams that were constant podium threats for the better part of 20 years during the reign of Luis Scola, but one that has all the ingredients of a top international side.
The Aussies have talent, rolling out nine current NBA players. They have experience, as the core of this team won Olympic bronze in Tokyo in 2021 and finished fourth at the World Cup in 2019. And they have expectations, having advanced out of the group stage in every Olympic competition since 2008. They are deep enough that program veterans Joe Ingles and Matthew Dellavedova – each with oodles of NBA and international experience in their own right – didn’t even see the floor on Tuesday.
In other words, Australia represents both a program Canada can aspire to emulate – a fixture at global competitions and a routine podium threat – and an obstacle to its own ambitions.
For all of Canada’s promise and even its recent success such as its bronze medal at the FIBA Basketball World Cup last summer, winning crucial games against quality opponents like The Boomers will mark Canada’s transformation from an international basketball power on paper to the real thing.
Well, after 40 hard-fought minutes against the world’s fifth-ranked team, it’s getting harder and harder for anyone to ignore that Canada’s arrival as one of the world’s best is very much a real thing in its first Olympic appearance in 24 years.
Canada was simply better in a 93-83 win over Australia that should be preserved under glass to show what it looks like when an excellent team playing a tough, sound game incrementally pulls away from a very good team that was also playing well.
This wasn’t Canada overwhelming its opposition with a dominant single performance, or Australia falling short because it didn’t execute or a key player or two didn’t have it.
Instead, with each team playing a high-stakes game at the highest levels of international basketball, the red-and-white showed up and balled out, with the result being Canada establishing themselves as a clear medal favourite and all but clinching a spot in the quarterfinals.
Once again, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was near flawless as he finished with 16 points, four rebounds and three assists on 8-of-10 shooting despite having to sit for eight minutes in the first quarter after picking up two quick fouls, a big reason why Australia led 28-26 after the first quarter and 49-45 at half. The other reason for Australia’s early advantage was a masterful opening half from Josh Giddey. The big Australian guard – Gilgeous-Alexander’s teammate for three seasons with Oklahoma City before being traded to Chicago this summer – delivered 15 points, four rebounds and three assists in 15 minutes as Canada initially struggled to contain him off the dribble or threaten him at the rim.
But Canada has shown definitively that it is far from a one-man team, as special as Gilgeous-Alexander has proven himself to be.
When Canada finally took control of the game with a 9-0 run midway through the fourth quarter, Gilgeous-Alexander was mostly a bystander. Instead, it was a lay-up by Khem Birch, who came into the tournament as Canada’s fourth big but is working his way up the depth chart with his athleticism and effort plays; a step-back jumper by Dillon Brooks, a three-pointer by RJ Barrett and a pull-up jumper by Jamal Murray that gave Canada the edge it needed.
Barrett, in particular, has been superb through two games, as the Toronto Raptors guard/forward led Canada with 24 points on 8-of-13 shooting while adding seven rebounds, five assists and two steals. He forced nothing and his patience paid off as he found his teammates as a matter of routine, such as a clever bullet pass to Birch against Australian pressure for another bucket that kept Canada’s lead at 11 with 3:15 left.
But as good as Barrett was and has been through two games now as Canada’s leading scorer, and as well as everything works with Gilgeous-Alexander is on the floor, do they win by double figures without Lu Dort’s defensive playmaking and timely offence?
It’s hard to imagine. The burly Montrealer finished with 11 points and three steals and contributed the signature play of the game as he simply tore the ball from the hands of Giddey just before halftime and went the length of the floor for a dunk. Coincidence or not, Giddey seemed to falter after that.
Similarly, Brooks gave Giddey the business for long stretches as well while continuing his efficient play on offence, as has been his habit playing for Canada. Brooks finished with 16 points on nine shots.
Not surprisingly, when your two best defenders combine for 27 points on 9-of-16 shooting, they’re going to look good in the plus/minus stats, and for the second straight game Dort and Brooks led Canada in that category. Through two games, the bash brothers are a combined +88 in 76 minutes of floor time against two quality opponents.
Most encouragingly?
You don’t have to look too hard to see that Canada still has some upside.
Jamal Murray was a shadow of himself in the opener against Greece and five points in 23 minutes may not be the contribution that might have been expected from the Denver Nuggets star on Tuesday given his pedigree, but he had five assists without a turnover and helped anchor things when Gilgeous-Alexander was off the floor. He was noticeably sharper in his movements, was quick to loose balls and looked more determined offensively.
As well, he did all of that without trying to force anything or taking anything away from Gilgeous-Alexander when they did share the floor. With two days off and a game against Spain on Friday that should allow for some experimentation by head coach Jordi Fernandez and then three more off days before the quarterfinals on Aug. 6, it’s not hard to see Murray beginning to hit stride when the games matter most.
Elite talent, team cohesion and quality depth is a very tough combination to beat in international basketball.
After being on the outside looking in for decades, Canada has shown it has the kind of program that can bring those qualities to the table when the games matter most.
The way this Olympic tournament is going, the stakes will only get higher from here, and all things considered you have to like Canada’s chances.
Here are some takeaways from Tuesday’s game:
To the point
One of the interesting sub-plots for the match-up was the first competitive meeting between the two teams’ star point guards, Giddey for Australia and Canada’s Gilgeous-Alexander, who shared the backcourt in Oklahoma City for three seasons while playing alongside Dort.
It was never an ideal situation, Giddey is at his best when he has the ball, using his size and uncanny court vision to make plays for his teammates. But in OKC, the ball was inevitably and justifiably in Gilgeous-Alexander’s hands, which both left Giddey – a poor shooter, typically – in an uncomfortable role as an off-ball spacer and slasher, and left Gilgeous-Alexander hemmed in at times as defences played off Giddey to have another set of eyes on the Canadian star.
Something had to give, and it happened this summer as the Thunder traded Giddey to the Chicago Bulls for Alex Caruso, a floor-spacing, low-usage wing who is one of the NBA’s best defenders.
You can see Giddey’s potential as a primary ball-handler, however. He was masterful in the first half, posting 15 points, four rebounds and three assists in 15 minutes. A big turning point in the game was that Canada was able to blunt his impact in the second half, limiting the six-foot-eight guard to four points and four assists in 13 minutes, with a lot of the credit going to Dort.
Birch steps up
Coming into training camp it was hard to know what to make of Birch’s chances to make the Olympic roster. He was part of the ‘summer core’ but hadn’t been able to play in World Cup qualifying two summers ago or the World Cup itself last summer due to injury.
Would he even be on the roster if Zach Edey hadn’t bowed out to prepare for his rookie NBA season? Hard to know, but Birch’s value was evident against Australia. His athleticism pops at both ends and his defensive instincts are excellent. He played only eight minutes but could have easily had more than the six points he did have if a couple of bunnies dropped.
The former Rpator had some great sequences as Canada was taking control of the game down the stretch of the fourth such as when he turned Jock Landale (16 points and 12 rebounds) away at the rim and then somehow materialized to contest Dante Exum on a corner three, earning a turnover as the Australian guard ended up stepping out of bounds.
He saved another bucket when he knocked a Giddey lay-up attempt off the rim, a classic FIBA play. He played more minutes that Trey Lyles and Kelly Olynyk, and if he continues to provide his simple blend of rim protection and steady hands on offence, Birch might end up eating into Dwight Powell’s minutes too.
In any case, he’s proven himself a viable option.
Off the bench
Andrew Nembhard played 22 minutes as he soaked up some extra time with Gilgeous-Alexander out with early foul trouble. He was far from flawless as his offence seemed just a touch off (one-of-six, zero-for-three from deep) but it’s not hard to see how lineups with him, Murray and Gilgeous-Alexander on the floor together – something Fernandez rolled out for stretches in the second half – could be a real problem for opponents. E
Even if Nembhard’s shots didn’t fall, he was able to get to them and was never flustered with the ball. He has a light touch and can fit in well alongside other ball handlers while taking pressure off them as well. It will be interesting to see how he gets used against Spain, for example, especially if it ends up being a relatively low-stakes game for Canada.
You could see Fernandez keeping his minutes up and hoping he finds a rhythm alongside Murray and Gilgeous-Alexander, which would give Canada a wealth of options for guard rotations.
from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
Canadian women cruise to win over Australia in Olympic 3×3 debut
Canada might’ve made an enemy out of Australia on Tuesday.
The Canadian women’s 3×3 basketball team made it a clean sweep for the nation over the Australians on the day, following a 22-14 win at the Olympics.
A couple of hours after the men’s 5×5 team picked up an impressive 93-83 win over the Aussies, the women followed suit with a rout of their own. In between the two basketball victories was an astounding upset of the Australians by the Canadian women’s rugby sevens squad in the semifinal.
Back to basketball, the 3×3 victory made some history of its own as it was Canada’s Olympic debut in the event.
Katherine Plouffe led the red-and-white with 10 points, including the game-winner which was a two-point jumper from the left corner. Meanwhile, twin sister Michelle Plouffe was right behind with eight points and five rebounds.
Australia’s top scorer was Alex Wilson who finished with six points and five rebounds of her own.
It was dominance for Canada from start to finish, leading by as many as 13 points without trailing Australia at any point. Canada shot 62 per cent from the field and 36 per cent from distance.
Canada returns to action Wednesday against China at noon ET / 9 a.m. PT.
from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
N.Y. Jets HC Saleh says Rodgers will not play in first two pre-season games
Fans who were hoping to see Aaron Rodgers back on the field at some point during the pre-season will have to re-evaluate their expectations.
New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh told reporters at training camp on Tuesday that the 40-year-old quarterback “definitely won’t play the first two (preseason games).”
Rodgers hasn’t played a down of NFL football since tearing his Achilles tendon, four snaps into his Jets debut last September. The four-time league MVP joined New York ahead of the 2023-24 season, being traded by the Green Bay Packers after spending the first 18 years of his career with them.
The former Super Bowl champion and MVP has a career 148-75-1 record with a 65.3 per cent completion rate for 475 touchdowns on 59,055 passing yards.
Saleh didn’t totally rule out the possibility of Rodgers taking the field in pre-season, leaving the door open for their third, and final, tune-up game.
“We haven’t really talked about it, my instinct right now as I stand here is we’ll see … that third game is the one we’re deciding … the discussion on the third one we just haven’t quite had yet.”
from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
Monday, 29 July 2024
Blue Jays appoint LHP Brandon Eisert as 27th man for doubleheader vs. Orioles
Brandon Eisert is back with the Toronto Blue Jays.
The team announced that the 26-year-old southpaw has been appointed as the 27th man for Monday’s doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles.
Eisert pitched in one game for the Blue Jays in June, logging two scoreless innings against the Boston Red Sox.
With the triple-A Buffalo Bisons this season, Eisert has a 4.75 ERA, 51 strikeouts and 19 walks over 36.0 innings.
MLB teams are allowed to recall an extra player any time they are playing a doubleheader. Usually, pitchers demoted to the minors must spend 15 days there before their clubs can bring them back to the major-league team, but that rule does not apply when a 27th man is returned to the minors.
from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
Playing Prognosticator: Is it Shavkat time? Matchups to make after UFC 304
And New. And Still.
That’s how Saturday’s twin championship fights at UFC 304 concluded in Manchester, England, with a new titleholder emerging in the welterweight division, while the interim heavyweight strap remained in British possession, leaving plenty to discuss as the dust settles and the direction for each weight class becomes clearer.
Belal Muhammad did exactly what he said he was going to do in the main event, taking the fight to champion Leon Edwards from the outset to instantly put the Renegade MMA standout in an early hole that he was never able to climb out of during the remainder of the fight.
He pressured immediately and only let off in the sporadic moments where Edwards had success countering in the grappling exchanges and wrestling to top position. While there is seldom visible physical damage to point to on his opponents, the look on the dejected former titleholder’s face told you all you needed to know about the battered spirit and crushed hopes the new champion left him with after their 25 minutes inside the Octagon.
In the co-main event, Tom Aspinall continued to make his case for being the best heavyweight on the planet, stopping Curtis Blaydes in a minute flat to retain the interim heavyweight title he claimed in similar fashion last November at Madison Square Garden.
The classy everyman champion was light on his feet and swift with his movements, successfully dealing with a couple good, clean shots from the challenger in their early exchanges before sitting Blaydes down with a hard left inside that kicked off the finishing sequence. There was no hesitation from Aspinall once he saw his opening, as the ultra-talented man from Atherton quickly pounced and pounded out the finish, earning the victory he needed to put their first encounter completely behind him and take another step towards establishing himself as the top man in the heavyweight ranks.
So now what?
Belal Muhammad
UFC CEO Dana White indicated at his post-event media availability that an immediate rematch between Muhammad and Edwards wasn’t a priority. The new champion even quipped that he would make Edwards wait the same three years before facing him again, just as Edwards had done to him following their initial meeting, which ended in a no-contest.
Holding off on an immediate rematch likely means that Shavkat Rakhmonov is up next, which is both exciting and a little bit curious.
The exciting part is that Rakhmonov is an unbeaten standout pegged as a future contender from the minute he touched down in the UFC, and the decision to not force him through the kind of gauntlet that most emerging contenders are required to navigate to finally merit a championship opportunity is a step in the right direction for the promotion.
But at the same time, the 29-year-old hasn’t fought since December, when he submitted Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, and would stand out even more as a contender if he had even one more victory over someone in the Top 10 beyond the now 41-year-old Thompson.
If given the option of having Rakhmonov be required to beat a myriad established names before getting a championship opportunity the way Muhammad did and shot-gunning him into the next title fight, I’m taking the former every single time, without pause, but I do understand the pushback that is likely to come from the more casual contingent that isn’t as familiar with his handiwork and would be more sold on him as a championship threat if there were one more marquee victory on his resume.
All that being said, this would be a tremendous matchup and a massive test on both sides, as Muhammad’s pressure and pace would be something completely new for Rakhmonov to deal with inside the Octagon, while the challenger’s diverse array of offensive weapons make him a formidable threat to the new champion’s position on the welterweight throne.
Tom Aspinall
It should be Jon Jones.
With all due respect to Stipe Miocic, who is a two-time UFC heavyweight champion, arguably the greatest heavyweight in UFC history, and a genuinely good dude that missed out on a massive opportunity through no fault of his own last November when Jones got injured and their fight got scuttled, it takes some serious effort to make a case for the 41-year-old still being next in line to face Jones when you’ve got a guy like Aspinall waiting in the wings.
Aspinall made his UFC debut three weeks before Miocic registered his last victory inside the Octagon, and in the nearly four years since, the British standout has amassed a 7-1 record with seven finishes, an interim title win and successful title defense, and spent 364 days away from competition recovering from a major knee injury.
Miocic has fought once, losing to Francis Ngannou by knockout in March 2021.
Aspinall should be facing Jones at Madison Square Garden in November. Period.
Of course, that’s not the plan.
The plan is to go ahead with the delayed bout between Jones and Miocic, and then hope that the winner is interested in sticking around to fight the agile and dangerous interim champ in a title unification tilt. Unfortunately for everyone involved, this feels much more likely to play out the same way things did at middleweight when Robert Whittaker picked up the interim title and was promoted to being undisputed champion after Georges St-Pierre bested Michael Bisping and returned to living his best life in retirement.
Aspinall proposed a twin bill at MSG later this year, suggesting he face off with Alex Pereira in one fight ahead of the presumptive main event between Jones and Miocic, and while it does have an undeniable appeal, the best course of action is to wait on that fight because it should 100 percent be a pay-per-view main event and might be the most intriguing option out there for him if things play out the way most anticipate they will in November.
As much as Aspinall wants to stay active and everyone understandably wants to see him compete, pausing to see how things shake out between Jones and Miocic — while being ready to replace either if one is unable to go — seems like the best course of action for now.
Paddy Pimblett
There is no more room to question whether “Paddy the Baddy” is capable of being a ranked lightweight in the UFC, as the beloved Scouser swiftly made King Green pay for a poorly executed takedown attempt, putting the veteran to sleep with a triangle choke midway through the opening round of their main card matchup.
Pimblett looked big standing opposite Green and frustrated the Inland Empire representative with his length, prompting him to take a naked shot that was stuff and left him scrambling from his knees, which opened the door for the opportunity the 29-year-old needed to finish.
The former Cage Warriors standout is now 6-0 in the UFC and riding an eight-fight winning streak overall, while instantly putting less-than-stellar efforts against Jared Gordon and Tony Ferguson in the rearview by making quick work of Green.
In his post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier, a deservedly chuffed Pimblett called for a matchup with Renato Moicano that instantly set MMA Twitter atwitter, but there is a different Brazilian that comes to mind as a more logical — and currently unbooked — dance partner for Liverpool’s favourite fighting son.
While Moicano is already penciled in to face Benoit Saint Denis in what is sure to be a violent and entertaining five-round lightweight fixture when the UFC returns to Paris in September, former champion Rafael Dos Anjos has an opening in his schedule and profiles as a wise next test for Pimblett.
Though he’ll turn 40 towards the end of October and is currently on a two-fight skid, “RDA” is a divisional stalwart with an established reputation; the exact type of fighter that would help further burnish Pimblett’s bonafides if he were to beat him. Despite his age, Dos Anjos is still a tough out for anyone in the division, as proven by his competitive bout with Mateusz Gamrot earlier this year, and represents a step up in competition from Green.
As entertaining as a bout between Pimblett and Moicano would undoubtedly be, “Paddy the Baddy” said he’d like to get back in there before the year is out, and chances are Moicano won’t come away from Paris unscathed. So hustle the Next Generation MMA man in there with RDA instead, and see if Pimblett can pick up another victory and keep climbing the divisional ranks.
Quick hitters for the rest of the winners…
Here’s a look at some potential matchups for the rest of the fighters to emerge victorious at UFC 304 at Co-op Live in Manchester.
Gregory Rodrigues: “Robocop” asked for a matchup with a ranked opponent, but do you know what might be even better? A matchup with Bo Nickal, who is overdue for a step up in competition.
Arnold Allen: The British featherweight snapped a two-fight skid with a win over Giga Chikadze, and matches up nicely with former interim champ Yair Rodriguez as a pair of top-five talents looking to maintain a place in the championship conversation.
Nathaniel Wood: Now 4-1 since moving to the 145-pound ranks, a matchup between Wood and Sodiq Yusuff would be a tremendous technical striking battle and show whether “The Prospect” merits a spot in the rankings.
Jake Hadley: If he’s sticking around at bantamweight for the foreseeable future, something about the pairing of Hadley and Dublin-based Canadian Brad Katona just makes sense to me.
Modestas Bukauskas: As solid as Bukauskas has been in his second tour of duty with the UFC, something tells me he ends up getting positioned in front of an unproven, but compelling prospect like Ibo Aslan next.
Oban Elliott: “The Welsh Gangster” earned a second consecutive UFC victory and would be a compelling opponent for Canadian Mike Malott if (when?) the promotion returns to The Great White North later this year.
Bruna Brasil: The Fighting Nerds representative looked outstanding against local favourite Molly McCann. Her length and diverse striking makes her an intriguing opponent for veteran Tecia Pennington.
Muhammad Mokaev: Should the UFC opt to bring the unbeaten flyweight back now that he’s fought out his contract, a No. 1 contender bout with Brandon Royval is the fight to make. White did, however, say of Mokaev’s free agency: “I think the PFL’s going to get a great undefeated guy. Good luck to him.”
Sam Patterson: With consecutive first-round submission wins since moving to welterweight, Patterson has been looking sharp, and a pairing with fellow prospect Gabriel Bonfim would be an outstanding litmus test for the Team Crossface representative.
Mick Parkin: There is still no reason to rush the promising Parkin, so a matchup with action-averse fellow Dana White’s Contender Series grad Martin Buday would be a reasonable next step for the unbeaten 28-year-old heavyweight.
Shauna Bannon: “Mama B” registered her first UFC victory on Saturday, and should face someone with a similar level of experience next; perhaps someone like Josephine Knutsson?
from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
Sunday, 28 July 2024
Marlies sign Alex Nylander to a one-year AHL deal
The more Nylanders the merrier for Toronto.
The Toronto Marlies have signed forward Alex Nylander to a one-year AHL contract, the team announced Sunday.
Alex, 26, is the younger brother of Maple Leafs superstar William Nylander. He spent last season splitting time between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets.
He had 11 goals and four assists in 28 games at the NHL level last season. He also tallied 17 goals and 15 assists while playing with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins last year.
Over the course of his seven-year NHL career, the younger Nylander has 25 goals and 24 assists in 121 games.
He was originally drafted eighth overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2016 NHL Draft.
Since it is not a two-way deal, he won’t be available to get called up to the Maple Leafs and play alongside his brother unless the team offers him an NHL deal.
from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
Saturday, 27 July 2024
Report: Blue Jays trade reliever Nate Pearson to Cubs
The Toronto Blue Jays have dealt right-handed reliever Nate Pearson to the Chicago Cubs, ESPN’s Jesse Rogers reported on Saturday.
Pearson, 27, has a 5.63 ERA in 41 appearances with the Blue Jays this season.
The return package for Toronto was not initially reported.
More to come.
from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
U.S. Olympic triathlete not washing hands to prepare for Seine E. coli:
American triathlete Seth Rider has developed quite the strategy to get ready to swim in the polluted River Seine at the Paris Olympics.
“It’s a proven method. Backed by science,” he told reporters Saturday, per USA Today‘s Kim Hjelmgaard. “It’s just little things, throughout your day. Like not washing your hands after you go to the bathroom and stuff like that.”
While that may sound gross, swimming in the Seine isn’t for the faint of heart.
The latest bacteria results, released Friday, show E. coli levels below the standard needed to go ahead with the competition.
French organizers have gone all out to get the river to an acceptable level. Several politicians have taken dips in the water in recent weeks to try to show it is safe.
But rain the past two days in Paris has not helped matters.
“We actually raced here last year in the test event,” Rider said. “I don’t think anyone got sick after that, which can’t be said about all the races we do. In preparation for this race, I knew there was going to be some E. coli exposure. So I’ve been trying to increase my E. coli threshold by exposing myself to a bit of E. coli in day-to-day life.”
Fellow American triathlete Taylor Spivey told reporters she was increasing her intake of live bacteria and yeasts that can “help us withstand any kind of sickness that comes our way.”
The men’s triathlon is scheduled for Tuesday.
If the river is deemed unsafe, the event could be delayed or become a duathlon with only biking and running.
Marathon swimming also is slated for the Seine. There is a backup location for that event.
from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
Leclerc to start Belgian GP from pole after Verstappen penalized
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium — Charles Leclerc will start the Belgian Grand Prix from pole position after clocking the second best time in qualifying behind Max Verstappen, who faces a 10-place grid penalty for the race.
Verstappen topped the time sheets in his Red Bull on Saturday on the rainy track in the forested hills of the Ardennes. But the Formula One leader will start Sunday’s race from 11th because of the penalty after Red Bull exceeded the allowed number of power units when they put a new engine into his car.
Leclerc was the next fastest in his Ferrari, followed by Red Bull’s Sergio Pérez. The Mexican driver will will start from second. Lewis Hamilton will start from third followed by McLaren pair Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
Verstappen holds a relatively comfortable 76-point lead over Norris in the overall standings despite having gone three races without a win for the first time since 2021.
After McLaren was faster last week with its one-two at Hungary, Verstappen showed he can’t be ruled out in Belgium even if he will have to fight his way from well back. He won here in 2022 from 14th and last year from sixth, after all.
“I knew that I would have to start from 10 places back, so this was the best I could do today,” Verstappen said.
“We are not making it easy on ourselves, in the battle we are in. Today was a great day, but it was in the wet and tomorrow will be dry. Hopefully we can battle with the Mercedes and Ferrari ahead, and hopefully with a little bit of luck we can challenge the McLaren.”
His rivals sure expect to have Verstappen in their mirrors soon enough.
Norris was fastest in dry conditions during practice on Friday, but the British driver now appears to feel that Red Bull has found the edge.
“The Red Bull was on another level to us in the rain,” Norris said. “It will be tough. Max is going to come through quite quickly still, and most likely we will be fighting with him for the win.”
Hamilton agreed, saying that his most likely goal will be to try to fend off his chasers and aim for the podium.
“Max will make his way through pretty quick. I think that car is the fastest here this week, at least tied with McLaren,” Hamilton said.
After heavy rain during the final practice kept the cars in the garages for long periods and led to officials to postpone the F2 sprint race, a steady drizzle fell on the track during qualifying. The cars kicked up spray trails as they sped through the longest track in F1, seven kilometres.
It was déjà vu for Leclerc from last year’s race, when he likewise inherited pole from Verstappen after the Dutchman got a five-place penalty.
“Exactly the same,” Leclerc said. “I think that without this rain probably P5 (fifth place) was the position we were fighting for, but I can’t complain.”
The eight cars from Red Bull, McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari all made it into the final segment of qualifying of the top 10 cars.
Pérez arguably got the most out of the session with a performance that was about to put him on pole if it hadn’t been for Leclerc’s last flying lap. Pérez struggled mightily in qualifying recently and has been the subject of speculation that Red Bull might even replace him midseason.
“It was good to finally put it together,” Pérez said. “Like I’ve always said, every weekend is a new opportunity to do better.”
Yuki Tsunoda of RB will start from the back of the grid after also exceeding his number of new engines and the addition of other new parts.
from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
Paris 2024 Daytime on Sportsnet
Beach volleyball and tennis are among the scheduled events for Paris 2024 Olympic Daytime. Watch the events on Sportsnet.
from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
Friday, 26 July 2024
Thursday, 25 July 2024
Wednesday, 24 July 2024
Celine Dion’s presence in Paris ‘not a coincidence,’ says French minister
Céline Dion’s presence in Paris ahead of the Olympic Games is “not a coincidence,” the French government says.
The country’s sports minister told a French television network today there are a “multitude of possible roles” the singer could play in an opening ceremony.
But Amélie Oudéa-Castéra wouldn’t confirm whether the Canadian superstar will sing at the opening of the Games on Friday, saying the element of surprise is crucial.
Images circulated Tuesday on social media showed Dion greeting fans in the French capital.
Media outlet TMZ reported Tuesday that the singer will perform at the opening ceremony.
Dion hasn’t performed publicly since revealing her diagnosis of stiff person syndrome in December 2022.
from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
Tuesday, 23 July 2024
Who should be Canada’s flag-bearers at opening ceremony for Paris Olympics?
The Canadian Olympic Committee will name flag-bearers for the Paris Olympics on Wednesday, and there are plenty of deserving candidates to carry the Maple Leaf on the Seine river Friday.
The International Olympic Committee suggested before the 2021 Tokyo Olympics that countries pick a male and female athlete to perform the role, and Canada followed that advice in Japan and the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing.
It is not an easy task to make selections — first of all, not all athletes will have arrived in Paris by Friday. For example, golfer Brooke Henderson, who certainly would be a possibility if she was at the ceremony, will be playing in the second round of an LPGA Tour event in Calgary while the Olympics start.
Other athletes might be in Paris and not available — top swimmers like Summer McIntosh and Maggie Mac Neil are scheduled to compete Saturday morning and seem unlikely to be at the ceremony. The Canadian women’s soccer team is competing hours away in Saint-Etienne, while the men’s basketball team plays the following day in far-off Lille.
Also, the COC does not always simply stick to best medal bets. In 2021, basketball player Miranda Ayim and rugby sevens player Nathan Hirayama were picked in a year in which Canada qualified a record number of teams for the game. Neither of those teams ended up on the podium.
In 2022, the COC went with bigger names in hockey star Marie-Philip Poulin and multi-Olympic-medal-winning speedskater Charles Hamelin.
Finally, not everyone wants to carry the flag. Some used to consider it a jinx, though several flag-bearers have eliminated that theme with strong performances at recent Olympics.
With all that in mind, here’s a list of 10 names we think might be available and deserve consideration to carry Canada’s flag.
Andre De Grasse
The Markham, Ont., sprinter has been one of Canada’s most successful athletes at the past two Olympics, capturing six medals. He’s the biggest name on a track and field team that is poised for a big meet in one of the glamour sports of the Olympics. De Grasse isn’t a favourite like he was in Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro, but has a great resume and is well known to even casual sports fans. The first full day of track and field at the Olympics isn’t until Aug. 2.
Maude Charron
The Rimouski, Que. weightlifter won gold in the women’s 64-kg division in Tokyo, only to see that event dropped from the Paris schedule. So, Charron switched to 59 kg and won bronze at the world championship in 2022 and silver at the Pan American Games in 2023. Charron competes Aug. 8, so there’s a question of whether she’ll be in Paris for the ceremony. But she’s an athlete who has excelled in a sport that is typically not in the Canadian spotlight, and this would be a well-deserved honour.
Kylie Masse
The LaSalle, Ont. swimmer is a co-captain for one of Canada’s top teams at the Olympics and is not scheduled to compete in an individual event on Saturday. The University of Toronto product has been a remarkably consistent performer, winning four medals at the past two Olympics to go along with nine outdoor world championship medals.
Josh Liendo
The Toronto swimmer also won’t compete individually on Day 1, but seems more likely to get a team call with the 4×100-m freestyle relay squad. If he’s freed up to go to the opening ceremony, the fellow swim team co-captain certainly would be in the mix for flag-bearer duties. Liendo has won four medals at the world championships for a men’s team that hasn’t had the same success as the women’s program. He is the first Black Canadian to win a swimming medal at a major international championship.
Natalie Achonwa
The Guelph, Ont. basketball player is heading to her fourth consecutive Olympics. Achonwa became a mother in April 2023 and her son, Maverick, has been on the road with the national team at times. Her ability to play at a high level for the world’s fifth-ranked team while being a mom to a young child is a story worth celebrating. Achonwa’s team doesn’t play its first game at the Olympics until Monday.
Marco Arop
The Edmonton runner won gold in the tremendously competitive men’s 800 metres at the world championships last year. Arop’s family fled Sudan during a civil war when he was a young child, moving to Egypt, then Saskatoon, and finally Edmonton. Arop has beaten the odds to become an Olympic contender in a truly international event.
Philip Kim
The Vancouver breaker is a strong contender in a sport making its Olympic debut in Paris. He won silver at last year’s world championship and gold in 2022. The sport is not on the program at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, so this kind of honour would give the dance sport a real boost in Canada as it tries to make a case to return to the Games in 2032. Kim’s event isn’t until Aug. 10, so again there’s a question of whether he’d be in Paris yet.
Tammara Thibeault
The Saint-Georges, Que. native has a real shot to become Canada’s first Olympic champ in boxing since Lennox Lewis in 1998. Thibeault won gold in the women’s 75-kg division at the 2022 world championships. She speaks three languages and has studied Chinese, which puts Thubeault into part-time translator duty on the road with the national squad, per Olympics.com.
Bianca Andreescu
The Mississauga, Ont. tennis star made history in 2019 when she became the first Canadian to win a Grand Slam singles title at the U.S. Open. Since then, of course, she hasn’t had the same success, with injuries taking her off tour several times. But Andreescu is trying to fight back and did make the third round at Wimbledon earlier this month. The schedule may not work in her favour, though. She’ll play her opening Olympic match Saturday or Sunday.
Evan Dunfee
The Richmond, B.C. native won bronze in the 50-km race walk in Tokyo, but that event is no longer on the program. However, he finished fourth in the 20-km race walk at last year’s worlds, and he’ll try again at that distance in Paris. Dunfee also earned praise at the 2016 Olympics when he appeared to win bronze when Hirooki Arai was disqualified for a bump, only to be moved back to fourth on Japan’s appeal. Dunfee opted not to make a further appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, saying he felt the right decision was made.
from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
Monday, 22 July 2024
Sunday, 21 July 2024
Report: Celtics, Sam Hauser agree to four-year, $45M extension
The Celtics are locking up an important depth piece as they gear up for a title defence.
Boston has agreed to a four-year, $45 million contract extension with forward Sam Hauser, keeping him in title-town through the 2028-29 season, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Sunday.
Hauser, 26, was one of the best 3-point shooters in the league last season, hitting on 42.4 per cent of his 5.9 attempts per game. He averaged a career-high 9.0 points and 3.5 rebounds last season in 22.0 minutes per game as one of the Celtics’ first options off the bench.
The Green Bay, Wisc., native will play on a $2 million team option next season. However, by locking him up Boston will be far above luxury tax thresholds for the 2025-26 season, with a projected $225 million payroll and a $210 million luxury tax bill.
from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
-
The wait is almost over. NHL training camps open up next week and, soon after, we’ll be pumping rookies with a shot to make the team, musin...
-
from Sportsnet.ca via i9bet
-
Các bài viết và bình luận của các chuyên gia bóng đá là một phần không thể thiếu trong thế giới bóng đá hiện đại. Những chuyên gia này có th...
